AWIAA Timeline

New Committee, Annual Events Calendar & Community Service Drives

• New Executive Committee selected to lead AWIAA.
• Comprehensive calendar of signature cultural events planned for this financial year.
• Apart from cultural events, the committee is also driving key community service projects like tree planting, blood donations, and children’s veggie garden.

Cinema Nights, Cultural Vibrancy & Relentless Committee Leadership

• Committee organised many cultural events including community cinema nights.
• Membership increased significantly across the Albury and Wodonga border region.
• Despite fluctuating committee roles, President and Cultural Coordinator held the association together and strived relentlessly to bring the community together.

Comprehensive Constitution Rewrite & Reconnecting the Community

• A major rewrite of the constitution was undertaken by this committee in order to clarify many ambiguous clauses, with valid input from members of AWIAA.
• Reporting obligations brought up to date and records kept meticulously for future committees to take over.
• Many functions were organised and the community was brought back together with enthusiasm and participation.

COVID-19 Community Support, Food Drives & Doorstep Sweet Deliveries

• COVID disrupted in-person celebrations across regional NSW and Victoria.
• Members got together under Presidents leadership and made face masks that were distributed
• Sweets were distributed to all members for Diwali – President and Treasurer personally went to all members' homes and delivered the sweets.
• President initiated a drive to collect non-perishable food items and donated to needy regional organisations during COVID lockdowns.

Diwali at Wodonga Racecourse Hall & Regional Civic Dignitaries

• New committee selected to lead the association.
• Committee organised Diwali function at Wodonga Racecourse hall.
• First time in the border - Bollywood night was organised
• Invited federal politician Helen Haines MP and local mayors to the event, marking a successful civic and cultural celebration.

Two-Year Term, Festival of Lights at QEII Square & High Commissioner Visit

• Elections were decided not to be held and members volunteered at this meeting to form a new committee for a two-year term.
• Priyanka spearheaded Diwali function organised as Festival of Lights in QEII square with funding from AWECC and sponsorship from Albury City Council.
• Function was a huge success with the Indian High Commissioner from Canberra as Chief Guest.
• All other major festivals were celebrated with high community attendance.
• In the second year, committee continued with two new roles added: Cultural Coordinator and Social Media Coordinators.
• Social media polls were taken to gather member and non-member feedback to actively increase membership.

First Democratic Committee Elections.

• Elections introduced for the new committee formation at the insistence of one member as they felt a democratic approach was not taken previously.
• Devang Upadhyay and Aruna Gandhi stood for President; Nisha Mori, Priyanka Mishra, Deepshri Taimni and Padma Ayyagari stood for PR coordinator; Dipti Patel and Gagan Tamini stood for Treasurer.
• The three elected committee members decided to call upon various community members to contribute and help for different festivals.
• Committee of three worked tirelessly to organize functions amidst growing community expectations.

Official Association Incorporation, Tarang 2nd Year & Dignitary Visits

• Community continued to grow with AWIAA becoming very active in community civic life.
• Decided to Incorporate the association under official NSW legislation.
• As a result aligned meetings etc. to Financial year July 2015 to June 2016.
• Second year of ‘Tarang’ celebrated at North Albury Public school hall – August 2015.
• Sussan Ley MP & Greg Aplin MP were invited as distinguished guests of honour.
• First ‘Sit down Dinner & Entertainment’ celebration successfully organised for Diwali.

Birth of Holi & Garba at Hovell Tree Park & Inaugural 'Tarang'

• Committee changed from previous year.
• Aruna and Siddharth Gandhi were establishing connections with all newcomers into the region and influencing them to join the association.
• Given their contribution, it was felt appropriate that Aruna become the President.
• Active liaison by the Public Relations coordinator and the President with the local councils expanded community reach.
• Holi celebrations at Hovell Tree Park started March 2013.
• Holi celebrations to coincide with Harmony Day started March 2014.
• Garba festival at Hovell Tree Park started October 2013.
• First major celebration for Independence Day – ‘Tarang’ organised at Holy Spirit school hall in 2014 – a huge success of a cultural program.

Aligning Meetings to Calendar Year & Membership Fee Restructure

• The entire committee from previous year stepped down due to continued opposition and pressures.
• Association meetings decided to align to calendar year.
• Membership fees changed to $20.00 for family and $10.00 for Singles.
• Functions around festivals continued during the year.

Adopting Current Association Name & Designing the AWIAA Logo

• AGM and Independence Day celebration saw the previous committee dissolve and new committee form.
• A fresh and ambitious committee started with lofty goals.
• Name of the association finalised as Albury Wodonga Indian Australian Association and the current logo was designed.
• Membership fees was proposed to be increased from $30 to $40 and faced opposition in the interest of newcomers settling in.
• Committee found it difficult to progress any of their plans without opposition.
• Rapidly growing community – Malayali association started as large influx continued, and Gujarati families were on the increase.
• Functions around festivals continued during the year.

Indian Association of Albury-Wodonga Named & Christmas in July Introduced

• Name of the Association decided to be Indian Association of Albury-Wodonga.
• Rapidly growing Indian Community – lot of Gujarati and Malayali families entering the area.
• Continued to organise events around major festivals.
• Introduced ‘Christmas in July’ function as many people will be away at actual Christmas time.

Formation of Semi-Formal Association & Launch of 'Border Samachar'

• A community meeting was held to form an association of some description.
• Discussions were held whether we need to be formally incorporated or just a semi-formal structure.
• Decided to be semi-formal with chosen leaders. Name of the organisation was not fully decided.
• Membership was set at $30.00.
• Requested members to accept emails as invitations as opposed to phone call invitations.
• Formally made a policy that any complaints/suggestions will have to be presented to the committee either verbally or via email.
• Invited Bhutanese Refugees (newly settling in the region) to join our Diwali function free of cost.
• President started a newsletter for the community called ‘Border Samachar’.

Gradual Community Growth & Need for a Formal Structure

• Community started growing gradually across Albury-Wodonga.
• Still no formal association structure in place.
• Padma was leading in organising functions with the help of others like Nanda Jamble, Leela Thomas, Aruna Gandhi etc.
• It was becoming clear that there needs to be a formal structure so the needs of the community can be better catered for.

Mercy Hospital Building Fundraiser: Kathak & Hindustani Music

• Still no formal organisation.
• Dr. Charu Mishra led a fundraising event to support the Mercy Hospital building fund.
• Melbourne performing group from a musical school headed by Guptaji (who was a former resident of Albury) gave performances in Kathak and Hindustani music.
• Raised over $7,000 for the Mercy Hospital building fund.

Major Kuchipudi Dance Fundraising Event for Orphanage & Old Age Home

• Still no formal committee.
• Group of people headed by Dr Rajinder Singh decided to organise a major fundraising event.
• Dr Rajinder Singh had connections in Canberra and invited visiting Kuchipudi dancer Arunima Kumar & party to perform outside of her schedule.
• 4 or 5 people – Padma included spearheaded the function.
• Whole community involved.
• 3 course dinner and Kuchipudi performance. Expected around 100 people – but 420 people attended.
• Indian Tandoori Restaurant and Indian Harmony (Aruna’s) Restaurant supplied food at cost.
• Raised $6,750 after costs for an Orphanage and Old age home in Madurai, India.
• Resounding success – people still ask if we will ever do something like that again.

Prior 2008: Informal Gatherings & Early Community Foundations

• No formal association
• Group of people got together to organise functions for various festivals.
• Indian population continued to grow slowly.
• Main drivers for gatherings were Dr Mammotil and Dr Mishra until 2004.